1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to handles and more particularly to handles for food cartons, such as milk cartons, juice cartons and the like.
Cartons for liquid such as milk, juice and the like are well known to the consuming public. Many of these cartons have fold out spouts that are tucked back in their original position when not pouring fluids therefrom. Other cartons of the same general type have spouts in the sloped upper portion with a screw on cap.
Water weighs approximately eight pounds per gallon. Liquid foods such as milk and juices that contain a high percentage of water weight approximately four pounds per half gallon carton. This is not a great weight for healthy adults but can be a two-handed struggle for children and the elderly and the infirm. Picking up and pouring a half gallon carton which is approximately four inches wide can be difficult to grasp and pouringly manipulate at the same time, particularly in high humidity conditions where the sides of the carton can be damp causing it to be even more difficult to grasp.
To overcome the above indicated problems and to have an easy to grasp handle rather than having to grasp the width of the carton, various plastic and metal means and contraptions have been developed. These various prior art carton handles in many instances are difficult and time consuming to install and remove, many of them can be used on fold-out spout cartons, but not on the cap spout cartons. Other carton handles simply do not grasp the carton in a positive manner thus tending to shift up and down as the carton is being used.
2. Description of Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Design No. 286,509 to Michael R. Havis discloses a container holder that is generally triangular shaped in cross-section.
U.S. Pat. No. 679,742 to Wilfred H. Goddard discloses a detachable can holder that is made from wire with a slide that grips the neck.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,038,116 to Peter Grabler is a handle for receptacles and is made of wire which holds a bottle.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,789,876 to William a. Molyneux is a handle like device for utensils that is used pick up a pie tin.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,414 to Fred D. Young and Thomas W. Munger is a handle for milk cartons that is made of wire with a slide thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,622 to Edmund Peter Hilderbrandt and Siegfried H. Fahnrich, Clinton and William E. Dylewicz, assignors to Fun Time Plastics, Inc. of Leominster, Massachusetts is a milk carton carrier and pouring handle that slides up under the top of the carton and has arms that go around the same.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,627 to Ueda Kazuo, assignee: Shikoku Kakooki Co., Ltd., of Tokushima, Japan discloses a sealed container for cartons that has to be assembled about.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,889,376 to Thomas Nagy discloses a box holder with handle that is formed in one piece that snaps over a carton.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,964 to Frank A. Escalante discloses a plastic bottle holder that is formed in one piece wherein the bottle slips into the holder for easy pouring.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,196 to Charles 0. Hancuff discloses a liquid drink carton holder wherein the carton is inserted thereinto.